The One To Remember
by usernamesarecool
Summary: Smosh: Ian/Anthony.  Band AU.  Ian joins a new band and finds himself falling for Anthony, the lead guitarist. Re-posted from my LJ and dA.
1. Chapter 1

Ian fiddled nervously with the strings of his bass as he sat on the concrete wall outside of the garage. He hadn't been to an audition in months, and he was so nervous that he felt like passing out.

_Don't you dare,_ he told himself. _You need this band. You can't afford to fuck up another opportunity._ It was true; paying the rent without a job wasn't getting any easier. It had only been a little over a month since he left the other band - _his_ band – and he was already halfway through his savings.

The little door in the side of the garage opened, and a guy walked out, carrying a bass. It was nicer than Ian's. The guy smiled at him. "Good luck!" he said.

_God, that guy seemed so confident. They're probably going to choose him. Maybe I shouldn't even try out._ Ian shook his head. _No, I will. I'm already here, there's no point in backing out now. I can do this._

The door opened again. Another guy stepped out, and all the breath suddenly seemed to disappear from Ian's lungs. The guy was tall and thin, dressed in ripped skinny jeans and a tight V-neck that clung to his chest in a carelessly sexy way. His dark hair sloped gracefully across his forehead, casting a shadow over his deep brown eyes. He was _gorgeous_.

"Ian Hecox?" the guy asked politely.

Ian realized that he must have been staring. "Um, yeah, that's me." He stood up shakily, clutching his bass.

"We're ready for you," the guy said, smiling, and his smile was as beautiful as the rest of him.

"Great," Ian said. He took a deep breath and stepped inside the garage.

-x-

By the time Ian finished the audition, his heart was pounding. Most of his anxiety had disappeared, though; it just felt good to be playing again.

The three existing members of the band sat on folding chairs in front of him. They'd introduced themselves when Ian had stepped into the garage; the skinny, blonde-haired lead singer and rhythm guitarist was Kyle, the muscular drummer with the shaved head was Aaron, and the gorgeous guy who he'd met outside was Anthony, the lead guitarist. It had taken all of Ian's willpower not to stare at him during the entire audition.

"You played well," Kyle said, breaking the silence that had fallen. "Mind if we ask you a few questions?"

"Not at all," Ian said.

"How many bands have you been in?"

Ian counted on his fingers. "Uh… four, I think?"

"Can you tell me the name of the bands and how long you spent with each of them?"

Ian listed off the answers. He hadn't been with most of the bands very long, except for the last one. "…And I was with them for two years," he finished.

"Two years?" Aaron piped up. "That's a pretty long time for someone who's only…" he briefly checked the sheet Ian had filled out earlier, "…twenty-three years old."

"It was a great band," Ian said.

"Why did you leave, if you don't mind me asking?" Kyle questioned.

Ian ran a hand through his hair. "I… I kind of got romantically involved with one of the other band members. It didn't end well. I left before it could cause any permanent damage to the group."

"Well, no worries about that here, I guess," Kyle replied. "There's no girls in our band."

"Yeah," Ian said, laughing nervously. _There were no girls in my old band, either,_ he thought. He wished he'd come up with a better story; now they could just look up his old band and see that there were no girls in it. It wouldn't be the first time he'd lost a great music opportunity because he was gay; most guys weren't too eager to sleep next to him in a tour van after they found out.

_Calm down, Ian,_ he told himself firmly. _Right now, just worry about them rejecting you because you suck at bass. Then you can find other potential reasons._

"Alright," Kyle said, tapping his pen against the pad of paper he was writing on. "That's everything we need. We'll call you tomorrow and let you know our decision." He smiled. "Thanks for coming by, Ian."

"Thanks for having me," Ian replied. He grabbed his bass and headed for the door.

He was halfway down the driveway before a voice behind him called, "wait!"

He turned around to see Gorgeous Guy – Anthony – running toward him.

"What's up?" Ian asked, nervous.

Anthony smiled at him. "I just wanted to let you know that you did great. You know, in case you were worried."

"That's great to hear," Ian said. _Especially from you…_

"And I'm sorry about your other band, dude," Anthony added. "I know what it's like to date a bandmate and have it go badly."

"Glad I'm not the only one," Ian replied, because he wasn't sure what else to say.

"We've all done it once or twice," Anthony said. "For me, more like six or seven times." He paused, and glanced thoughtfully at Ian. "I've never been with a bassist, though." And with that, he turned and walked back to the garage.

Ian stared after him, slightly confused. When he was out of sight, Ian walked in the direction of his car, his bass slung over his shoulder. Tomorrow he'd get the phone call telling him whether he'd made it or not.

It suddenly seemed like the most important call of his life.


	2. Chapter 2

_Ian clutched the phone sadly. One ring. Two rings. Three rings. No answer._

_"Hi, you've reached Chris and Jason's house. Leave a message."_

_Ian sighed. "Hey, guys. I'm sorry to do this over voicemail, but I couldn't say goodbye in person. It would've been too hard. I'm just calling to let you know that I'm leaving the band. I know you both think I should work things out with David, but it's not going to happen, so I'm quitting. I don't want the whole band to be ruined because of me. I'm going to get out of the L.A. scene for a while. I've found a place in Sacramento, and I'm going to try to find another job there. I'm going to miss you guys so much. I hope you can find a new bassist soon."_

_He hung up the phone, staring glumly at the steering wheel. All of his worldly possessions were packed into three bags in the back of his car, ready to go. He couldn't believe that he was leaving L.A. He'd moved there when he was 18, and the five years he'd spent there were the best years of his life. But he just couldn't stand hanging around there, especially when it put him so close to the rest of the band. Especially David. He needed to move on, and staying in the city wasn't going to help. Sacramento was where he'd grown up, and there was something poetic about returning there now that his life in L.A. was over. He couldn't think of anywhere else to go._

_He turned the key in the ignition, starting the car. He wasn't sure what was going to happen to him, but whatever it was, he would make the most of it. With that resolution in mind, he pulled away from the curb, headed for the highway._

Ian was pulled out of his memories by the shrill ringing of his phone. _Oh God, this is it,_ he thought. He accepted the call, trying to sound as casual as possible.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Ian? It's Anthony."

"Hey," Ian said. Anthony was silent for a moment. "Did I get it?" Ian blurted out. He immediately felt furious with himself. _Way to sound desperate._

Anthony laughed. "Yeah, you did."

"Really?" Ian asked, and _God_, why did he always sound so stupid when he talked to this guy?

"Really," Anthony confirmed. "Can you come by for practice around four this afternoon?"

"Sure," Ian said, and he couldn't help smiling. "Thanks, man."

"No problem," Anthony replied. "See you later!"

Ian hung up the phone, doing a small victory dance. He was in a band again! He was going to band practice later! Band practice with Anthony.

_Stop it,_ he told himself. _Don't start falling for him. Or do you not remember how that worked out with David? That's the whole reason you had to leave your band in the first place._

Ian winced at the memory, pushing it to the back of his mind. He wasn't going to fall for Anthony. Anthony was probably straight anyway. No point in getting his hopes up for something that was never going to happen. He was just going to go to band practice, have a good time, and hopefully play a show soon and get some money. He didn't have the time to worry about anything else.

He grabbed his bass, deciding to practice a bit before practice. He had a few of the band's songs down perfectly, but he was still a little shaky on most of them. There were a few he barely knew at all.

_Better work on learning these,_ he thought. _Don't wanna get kicked out on my first day._ He sat down on the edge of his bed and began practicing the first song.

-x-

When he pulled up in front of the house with the garage next to it – whosever it was – it was nearly 4:30. He hurried to the garage, bass in hand. Anthony and Kyle were already inside.

"Sorry I'm late," he said, closing the door behind him. "I got stuck in traffic."

"Don't worry about it," Kyle said. He was sitting cross-legged on the floor, tuning his bass.

"Yeah, Aaron isn't even here yet," Anthony added. "He's always late for practice."

"I'm usually on time, I swear," Ian said.

"Should we call up your old band and ask them?" Kyle asked, grinning.

"Uh," Ian said. His expression must have changed, because Kyle's smile faded and he quickly apologized.

"Sorry, dude, I shouldn't have brought that up. Must've been a pretty bad split, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess," Ian replied. He didn't really want to talk about it, so he looked around desperately for a change of subject. "Is this your garage?"

"Yeah, I inherited the house from my uncle," Kyle replied. "I share the house with my roommate, Alice. And Anthony crashes here pretty often, too."

"I'm kind of homeless," Anthony clarified, laughing. "Got evicted from my apartment a few months ago, and I just haven't got around to finding a new place yet. I rely on the hospitality of my wonderful friends."

"So you'd better watch out if you value your privacy, Ian," Aaron said, walking through the door. "Otherwise you'll have him sleeping on your couch every other night." He grinned. "Sorry I'm late, guys. Ready to practice?"

"Hell yeah," Ian said.

Kyle smiled. "Eager. I like it. You picked a winner, Anthony."

"Of course I did," Anthony said, but he shot Kyle a shut-the-fuck-up sort of glare. Ian stared at them curiously.

"Alright, practice time!" Kyle declared quickly.

Ian slid the strap of his bass over his shoulder, eager to play. He wanted to see Anthony play, too. _And the other guys,_ he added, but he wasn't convincing himself. There was something special about Anthony.

_Stop it!_ he urged himself, more firmly than before. _A crush is the last thing you need right now._

Then Aaron raised his drumsticks to begin the song, and Ian lost himself in the music. _This is where I belong,_ he thought giddily, and the gorgeous smile Anthony gave him as they played only seemed to confirm it.


	3. Chapter 3

"You played great today," Anthony said as he packed away his guitar. They were the only ones left in the garage; Aaron had gone home and Kyle had disappeared into the house.

"Thanks," Ian replied. "I messed up a lot, though."

"It was only your first practice," Anthony pointed out. "You were better than I was the first time I played with any band."

"You couldn't've been that bad," Ian said, grinning.

"You'd be surprised," Anthony said. "I wasn't always the guitar god I am now." He smirked.

Ian shook his head, smiling. "You have plans tonight?"

"No, why?"

"We could go get something to eat," Ian suggested.

"Are you asking me out on a date?" Anthony asked, batting his eyelashes.

Ian felt himself blush. "No! I didn't mean… I just meant as friends."

Anthony laughed. "I knew what you meant. I'm just fucking with you. How about Taco Bell? I'll pay."

"How can I say no to free tacos?" Ian said, his embarrassment slowly fading.

"You can't," Anthony declared. "Let's go!"

-x-

"God, I was starving," Ian said, finishing his last taco. "Thanks for the food!"

"No problem," Anthony replied. He took a sip from his soda, staring across the table at Ian.

"What?" Ian asked, alarmed. "Do I have taco sauce on my face?"

Anthony laughed. "No, that's not it. I'm just… curious, I guess."

"What do you mean?"

"I've never been in a band with someone before without being friends with them first. It's weird, having a stranger play with us like this." He paused. "Not that I don't like it. You seem like a really cool guy. I just… I want to know you better."

_You have no idea,_ Ian thought. "How do you think I feel?" he asked. "I'm in a band with _three_ complete strangers. I don't even know anyone in this city anymore."

Anthony grinned. "You sound like you've got a story. I want to hear it."

Ian shrugged. "It's not too interesting."

"Still, we're bandmates now. We're going to become friends soon enough. We should know some things about each other, don't you think?"

"You first, then," Ian challenged.

"Fine, fine. Let's see." Anthony paused, then started talking. "I grew up in Carmichael. I ran away from home at 17 and came to Sacramento. I got a job at McDonald's and lived in some shitty, run-down apartment for about a month. Then I met Aaron. He was 20 at the time, working at McDonald's by day and playing in a band by night. He felt sorry for me and let me live with him for a while. He was still in a band with Kyle at the time. A different band, though. Anyway, that band was friends with another band who was looking for a guitarist, and Aaron convinced them to take me." He shook his head, laughing. "I was awful back then. I could barely play. I got better, though. The extra money helped me to get my own place, and I was okay for a few months. Then I quit that band, and after that I jumped around between different bands for a few years. Last year, Aaron and Kyle's old band broke up, and they asked me to start a new one with them. I quit my McDonald's job to play with them full-time, and I lost my apartment because I couldn't pay the rent. A couple weeks ago, our bassist quit, and I guess you know the rest." He smiled. "Your turn."

"Alright," Ian said. "My life story isn't as interesting as yours, though."

"Just shut up and talk," Anthony said, grinning.

"Okay, okay. I lived here in Sacramento until I was 18. After I graduated high school, I moved to L.A. to try to find a band to play with. I lived off my savings for a few months, and then I met my first band. They weren't very good, and we kind of just gave up after a couple months. I was in a couple of moderately successful bands after that. I made a living, anyway. Then I met Jason. He was drummer, and he auditioned for my band at the time. I thought he was great, but the rest of the guys picked someone else. I kept in touch with Jason, though. He was really cool."

"Was he the one you got involved with?" Anthony asked. He didn't sound judgmental, which Ian liked.

"No, now shut up and listen," Ian said gently, smiling so as to make sure Anthony knew he wasn't being serious. Anthony mimed zipping his lips shut.

"Anyway, I got kicked out of that band after a few months, because they found out… well, they found out that I was gay, and they were dicks about it." He watched Anthony's reaction carefully. He didn't look bothered, so Ian continued. "I was really good friends with Jason by this time, and he had some friends who were looking to start a band, so I joined up with them. There were two other guys, David and Chris. They were both great guys. It was the best band I'd ever been in, and the most successful, too. We got some great gigs, went on a couple tours… it was really awesome. After I'd been in the band for about eight months, I started to realize I had feelings for David, the lead singer. I told him, and it turned he liked me too. We got together, and it was great. My first serious relationship, really. Three weeks later, Jason got together with Chris." He laughed. "We were probably the gayest band ever."

Anthony smirked. "Don't be too sure about that."

Ian stared at him curiously, but Anthony just motioned for him to continue.

"Anyway," Ian said, "we were all happy for a little over a year. Then Jason and Chris got married. And at their wedding…" he sighed. "I proposed to David. He said no. We tried to keep the relationship going after that, but it was hard. I got needy, he got annoyed, and we broke up. It was messy. I knew that both of us couldn't stay in the band, and the choice between bassist and lead singer wasn't a hard one. I left before I could get kicked out." He smiled weakly. "That was about a month ago. Then I came here, and now here I am, eating tacos with my new bandmate."

"Wow, man," Anthony said. "I'm sorry. I knew there was some kind of breakup involved, but I didn't realize that it was so recent. Or so serious."

Ian shrugged. "I'm getting over it."

"By the way," Anthony continued, "those guys that kicked you out of the band for being gay… They sound like assholes. You don't have to worry about that in this band. We're not like that."

"That's great to hear," Ian said, relieved.

"I'm gay too, actually," Anthony replied. "That's why I ran away from home when I was 17. I came out to my family, and my dad… he didn't take it well. I couldn't stand his constant insults, so I just packed my stuff and left. I haven't talked to my parents since then. I still e-mail my sister all the time, though. It's nice that _someone_ in my family still likes me." He shook his head. "You probably don't want to hear me complain, though."

"It's fine," Ian said. "I'm glad we talked." He smiled. "It's nice to have a friend around here."

Anthony grinned. "So, uh, how about giving your new friend a place to stay for the night?"

Ian laughed. "No problem, dude. You can have my spare bedroom."

"Hell yes!" Anthony cried. "I'm used to couches. Or floors. I forget what an actual bed feels like!"

"Well, it's a futon," Ian admitted.

"Whatever, man. I'll take what I can get."

Ian grinned, dumping his food tray into the garbage. "Come on, then. Time for a sleepover."

"Can we make popcorn?" Anthony asked, pouting, and Ian couldn't have said no to that face even if he'd wanted to.


	4. Chapter 4

"Nice place," Anthony said, setting his guitar case and his backpack down in Ian's living room.

"Thanks," Ian replied. "It's not much, but I guess it's home."

"I like it," Anthony declared. "I'm probably going to find every possible excuse to stay here."

Ian could think of several excuses that he'd enjoy, but he kept that to himself.

"Still want popcorn?" he asked.

"Hell yeah!" Anthony said, grinning. "Thanks."

Ian stepped into the small kitchen, rummaging through the cupboards for the popcorn. "Make yourself at home," he called to Anthony. He finally found a bag and shoved it into the microwave. He heard the TV come on in the living room.

When he arrived in the living room, Anthony was seated on the couch, watching some action movie. Ian set the bowl of popcorn down on the coffee table in front of the couch, taking a seat next to Anthony.

"Thanks, man," Anthony said, grabbing a handful of popcorn.

"No problem," Ian replied.

They watched the movie in silence for a while. Ian looked over at Anthony halfway through and smiled; he was fast asleep. Ian was just about to wake him up when he shifted in his sleep, leaning up against Ian, his head resting on Ian's shoulder. Ian bit his lip. Suddenly he didn't feel like waking him up anymore.

He tried to turn his attention back to the movie, but he couldn't concentrate. He was so aware of Anthony's body pressed up against his side, of Anthony's head on his shoulder, of Anthony's warm breath against his neck. He was starting to get hard, and damnit, that wasn't a good thing.

He began to move away, as gently as possible so as not to wake Anthony up. Suddenly Anthony made a small noise and shifted. Ian quickly grabbed a blanket from the floor, placing it over his crotch so he wouldn't see the bulge.

"You awake?" he said softly. Anthony sat up, blinking sleepily at him.

"Yeah," he said, yawning. "Did I fall asleep on you?"

"Yeah, sorta," Ian replied. "I don't mind, though."

"Alright, well, I'm going back to sleep… mind if I use your lap as a pillow?" Anthony started to lay down across the couch, and Ian panicked.

He jumped up, clutching the blanket in front of him awkwardly. "Wh… what are you doing?" he stuttered.

Anthony stared at him, confused. "I was just gonna lay down…"

"Oh. Um, I just… I…"

"I wasn't hitting on you, if that's what you thought," Anthony said, running his fingers through his hair awkwardly. "Sorry if it came off that way."

"No, I mean… sorry. I'm just a little jumpy, I guess. I think I'm gonna get to bed. The guest room is the first one on your left. There's clean sheets and everything."

"Alright, sounds good. 'Night, Ian."

"Night," Ian said. He headed to his room, shutting the door behind him.

_You fucking idiot,_ he thought, annoyed. _Now Anthony's going to think you're a total spaz._ He sighed, stripping down to his boxers and crawling into bed. Anthony was probably doing the same thing in the next room.

_Don't go there,_ he begged his mind desperately, but it was too late; he was already picturing Anthony naked. God, he was _so hot,_ it wasn't fair. Ian was frustrated to find himself getting hard again.

_Fuck it,_ he thought, half asleep. _I can't stop thinking about him, so I might as well stop trying._ He pulled his boxers down slightly, wrapping his fingers around his own erection.

When he came, he had to bite his lip to stop himself from crying out Anthony's name.


	5. Chapter 5

_Ian's hands shook as he unbuttoned Anthony's shirt, exposing the pale skin beneath it. His body was flawless; toned and smooth and too beautiful for words. Ian ran his hands over Anthony's chest and stomach, coming to rest at the top of his jeans. He bit his lip, looking up into Anthony's face._

_Anthony smiled at him, reassuring him, urging him on. Ian leaned up to kiss him, tentative and slow at first. Anthony pulled him in closer, his fingers twisting into Ian's hair, deepening the kiss. It felt amazing._

_Anthony broke the kiss just long enough to tug Ian's t-shirt off over his head. Ian hurriedly slid Anthony's open shirt off of his shoulders, admiring his bare shoulders and arms. Then they were kissing again, harder, more urgently. Anthony shoved Ian up against the wall, his hips grinding against Ian's. They were both hard. Ian moaned into the kiss, taking Anthony's hand and guiding it down to the waistband of his pants. Anthony fumbled with the button, slid the zipper down, and wrapped his fingers around Ian's throbbing – _

Ian woke up, gasping.

"Fuck," he groaned softly to himself. It was just a dream, but it was the best goddamn dream he'd ever had. He couldn't remember ever wanting anyone that bad, not even David. He brushed his palm across his erection, biting back a groan at the sensation. The dream was still fresh in his mind, and at the moment he wanted nothing more than to continue the fantasy and jerk off to the thought of Anthony's soft hands on his body, Anthony's mouth, warm and wet around him –

_Stop it,_ he told himself for what seemed like the hundredth time. _This stupid crush isn't going to lead to anything good, so just forget about it._ He shook his head, sighing. What he really needed was a cold shower.

However, when he reached the bathroom, the door was closed, the shower already running inside.

_Anthony must be in there,_ he thought, and God, the image of Anthony naked and wet was the last thing he needed.

He headed into the kitchen, putting the kettle on to make tea. As he waited for it to boil, he absentmindedly checked his phone. One new text.

_Hey Ian, it's Aaron. Do you know where Anthony is? He's not answering his phone._

_He's at my house,_ Ian texted back.

_Perfect. Tell him we have practice around noon._

_No problem._

The kettle was boiling now. Ian poured his tea. He heard Anthony walk into the room just as he was taking his first sip. When he turned around to face him, he nearly choked on it.

Anthony wasn't wearing anything but a towel. It hung low on his waist, exposing his sharp hipbones. Drops of water from his wet hair glistened on his bare chest. He looked even better than he had in Ian's dream.

_This is not fucking fair,_ Ian thought desperately.

Anthony just smiled at him. "Do you have any coffee?" he asked.

Ian managed to shake his head. "Uh, no. I don't really drink coffee. I have tea," he offered, gesturing to the kettle. He was amazed that he was even able to form words.

Anthony made a face. "I don't like tea." He paused, then grinned. "But I guess I could try it, just for you."

_Is that flirting?_ Ian wondered, confused. _That sounds like flirting. Is Anthony flirting with me? No, of course he's not. That's stupid._

Anthony was staring at him. "You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Ian said absentmindedly. "I'm gonna go take a shower. Aaron told me to tell you we have practice around noon."

"Awesome," Anthony said, pouring some hot water into a mug and adding a teabag. He stared at it doubtfully. "If this kills me, I'm blaming you."

"Okay," Ian said distractedly. He rushed out of the room and into the bathroom, locking the door behind him. He turned on the sink and splashed cold water on his face, trying to erase the image of Anthony in a towel from his mind. _How is it even possible for someone to be that hot?_ He groaned.

He thought back on the past 24 hours. He recalled Anthony's interest in his past, the way he practically invited himself to stay at Ian's house, the way he fell asleep on his shoulder… Maybe he _was_ interested.

Ian shook his head. _He was just being friendly. He just needed a place to stay. Falling asleep on your shoulder was an accident._ He stared at his reflection in the mirror. _Look at yourself, Ian. You're not exactly a catch. Not compared to a guy like him._ He shook his head sadly, turning the shower on. He desperately hoped that Anthony would be dressed by the time he got out.

-x-

Anthony sighed, watching Ian practically run from the room. He was trying all the tricks that usually worked for him, but Ian didn't seem interested. Hell, he seemed downright repulsed. Anthony didn't get it. He'd always been able to get any guy he wanted. _Then again,_ he thought, _I've never wanted a guy quite like Ian before._

There was something special about him, something that made him different from the shallow guys Anthony usually liked. Ian was hot – incredibly hot, actually – but there was more to him than that. He was open and honest and genuinely nice, and Anthony had no idea how to handle that.

He dumped his tea down the drain and headed to the guest room to get changed. He unzipped his backpack, pulling out his last clean t-shirt and a pair of already-worn jeans. _I'll have to do some laundry at Kyle's house today,_ he thought. He made the bed as best as he could, then headed out to the living room to wait for Ian.

-x-

"Damnit, I'm going to be late again," Ian muttered, turning onto Kyle's street.

"I'll tell them it was my fault," Anthony suggested.

"Nah, it's fine," Ian said, laughing. "Stopping for burgers was my idea."

"But I highly encouraged it," Anthony pointed out.

"Oh well, we're here now anyway," Ian said, pulling into the driveway.

They got their instruments out of the backseat, heading into the garage. Kyle was already there, fiddling with his microphone. He shot Anthony a meaningful glance.

"Hey, what's up?" Ian asked.

"Just waiting for Aaron," Kyle replied.

"Hey, is it okay if I do some laundry?" Anthony asked.

"Sure," Kyle said. "But, uh, let me help you with that." He grabbed Anthony by the arm and pulled him out of the garage. "Be right back!" he called over his shoulder to Ian.

He dragged Anthony into the house. When they were in the laundry room, he crossed his arms and smirked.

"You slept at Ian's house last night," he said.

"Yeah, I did," Anthony replied. He knew this was going to come up.

"So, did you make a move?" Kyle asked, grinning.

"Make a move? Why would I do that?" Anthony asked, trying and failing to sound bewildered.

Kyle rolled his eyes. "Please. You practically begged us to let him in the band, and you haven't stopped talking about him since. You totally want him."

Anthony sighed. "Fine, fine. I tried to make a move."

"And?"

"And he kind of freaked out."

"Wow. What did you do?"

"Tried to cuddle a bit, walked around in a towel, flirted a little…"

"And he wasn't into it?"

"Definitely not," Anthony replied. "I should've known better than to try anything."

"What do you mean?"

"Remember he said he got involved with a bandmate and it ended badly?"

"Yeah…"

"They only broke up last month, and he wanted to marry the guy. I should've known it was too soon."

"Jeez," Kyle said softly. "What are you gonna do now?"

"I don't know. It's hard. He's… he's so different than the guys I usually go after," Anthony sighed.

"You mean he's not an asshole?" Kyle said. "All the more reason to keep trying, dude."

"I've dated guys who weren't assholes," Anthony protested.

Kyle just raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"Okay, fine, so I haven't picked the best guys in the past. Does that really mean I should try to get with the first nice guy I see?"

Kyle squeezed Anthony's shoulder. "I've known you for six years, man. I've seen you go after a lot of guys. I can tell that this one's different." He smiled. "Just give him some time, and I'm sure he'll come around."

Anthony sighed. "I hope you're right."

"I'm always right," Kyle said. "Now do your laundry and let's go practice. And if you keep messing up because you're too busy staring at Ian's ass, I'm going to hit you with the microphone."

Anthony laughed. "I'll try, but no promises."


	6. Chapter 6

Ian was tuning his bass when Anthony and Kyle returned to the garage. They had been gone for a while; ten minutes, at least. And there was something… different about them. They kept shooting each other meaningful glances, like they were carrying some sort of secret between them.

"That took a while," Ian said pointedly.

Anthony blushed. "Yeah, uh, the laundry machine was broken."

Kyle raised his eyebrows at Anthony, grinning. Anthony glared at him, but his frown turned into a laugh halfway through.

_Oh God._ Ian's stomach tied itself into a knot. _They weren't doing laundry. They were… oh God, Anthony and Kyle, why didn't I see it before?_ He stared down at his bass, fingers trembling on the strings.

_Calm down,_ he told himself. _It doesn't mean anything. Maybe the laundry machine really was broken._ But those glances seemed to contain entire conversations, and they were definitely hiding something.

_I'll ask Anthony. No, he might figure out why I'm asking. I'll ask Kyle. Yeah, that's it. I'll ask Kyle after practice._

The door burst open, and Aaron rushed in.

"Sorry I'm late, but I've got great news!" he cried, grinning. "A band that was supposed to play at a club downtown all of next week just broke up, and the club manager wants us to fill in for them! Six shows, 40 minutes each. What do you think?"

"That's awesome!" Kyle cried.

"This is our first show in months," Anthony stage-whispered to Ian.

Ian managed a weak grin, hoping that was enough.

-x-

After practice, Ian took as much time as possible packing away his bass. Anthony left with Aaron, finally leaving him alone with Kyle. He zipped up his case and slung it over his shoulder.

"See you next practice, Ian," Kyle said cheerfully.

Ian debated just leaving and avoiding the whole awkward conversation, but he had to know.

"Actually… I wanted to ask you something." He ran his fingers through his hair, avoiding eye contact.

"Sure, what is it?" Kyle asked.

"Is there… is there anything going on between you and Anthony?"

Kyle stared at him blankly. "Me and… Anthony?" Suddenly, he burst out laughing. "God, dude, no! Anthony's one of my best friends, and I'm straight!"

"Oh," Ian said. He could feel himself blushing.

Kyle's laughter subsided. "Why do you ask?"

"No reason," Ian said, trying to sound casual. "I just, uh… It seemed like maybe…"

Kyle's mouth dropped open. "You like him." It wasn't a question; Ian could hear the certainty in his voice.

He tried to protest anyway. "No, no, I don't! Really! I…"

It was no use. A smirk was spreading over Kyle's face. "You do!"

"Please don't tell him," Ian begged.

"What if he likes you back?"

"He doesn't," Ian said. "Trust me."

"I could ask him for you," Kyle suggested.

Ian shook his head. "I'd really prefer if you didn't bring it up. Even if he was interested in me, I wouldn't want to get involved with a bandmate again, not after finding such a great new band." He smiled sadly. "I need to get over him, and I can't do that if there's a chance of us getting together."

Kyle nodded. "I understand," he said. "I'll see you later, then."

"Seeya," Ian replied. He sighed and left the garage, hoping he hadn't made a huge mistake.

-x-

Aaron had just gotten home when his phone began to ring.

"Hello?"

"Hey, it's Kyle."

"What's up, man?" Aaron asked, confused.

"Ian talked to me after practice. He likes Anthony."

"That's good, isn't it? Anthony's kind of head-over-heels for him."

"Well, yeah, but… Ian doesn't want a relationship. He wants to get over Anthony."

"I see."

"What do I do?" Kyle asked desperately. "I can't tell Anthony that; he'll be heartbroken! But is it wrong if I let him go on thinking he has a chance? Maybe I should tell Ian that Anthony likes him. Maybe he'll change his mind."

"Kyle," Aaron said pointedly.

"What?"

"They're grown men. Let them work it out for themselves."

"But –"

"Just wait and see what happens," Aaron insisted. "If we get involved it'll only make things worse."

"Fine, fine," Kyle said. "But it wouldn't hurt if we… encouraged them a little bit, would it?"

Aaron laughed. "Nah, I don't think so."

"Great," Kyle replied. "Now we've just got to find a subtle way to set them up."

"You work on that," Aaron replied. "Call me back when you've got something."

"Sounds good." Kyle hung up, and Aaron shook his head, grinning. Ian and Anthony were perfect for each other; they just needed a little nudge in the right direction.

Knowing Kyle, it would probably end up being more of a gigantic shove than a nudge, but whatever worked.

"With all this work we're going through, they'd better get married and adopt dozens of cute little babies," Aaron muttered to himself, but he was smiling. After all that Anthony and Ian had gone through, they could both use some love.


	7. Chapter 7

It was nearly eleven o'clock Sunday night when Ian got a text from Anthony.

_Can I crash at your place again tonight?_

_Sure,_ Ian replied. It wasn't like he was doing much anyway; he was eating cereal on the couch wearing nothing but sweatpants.

"I'm such a loser," he muttered aloud. He got up, dumping the milk from his cereal down the drain and heading to his room to find a shirt. He grabbed the first thing he found – a plain white t-shirt – and ran a comb through his hair. Good enough.

A few minutes later, there was a knock at the door. Ian hurried to the living room and pulled it open. Anthony stepped inside, staggering under the weight of several bags.

"What's all this?" Ian asked, grabbing a few of the bags for him.

Anthony grinned sheepishly. "All my concert clothes. I usually keep them at Kyle's house, but I brought them with me. I was hoping you could help me pick out an outfit for the concert. You know, since it's tomorrow night and everything."

Ian laughed. "From the looks of those bags, it might _take us_ until tomorrow night to pick one."

Anthony pouted. "Come on, please? I can't make decisions by myself!"

Ian couldn't resist. "Okay, fine," he said, smiling. "Show me what you've got."

-x-

Ian stared at the layer of shirts and pants covering the guest room bed. They'd already gone through and rejected half of Anthony's concert clothes.

"Do you have to be so damn concerned with your appearance?" Ian grumbled, half-joking. "I picked out my outfit yesterday. It's called jeans and a t-shirt."

"Sorry," Anthony said, blushing a little. "I like to look good in case…" he trailed off.

"In case what?" Ian asked, curious.

"In case I meet someone," Anthony said, shrugging. "But, I mean, I'm not looking to do that this week. Or anytime soon. I don't want to hook up with some random guy. I…" he shook his head. "Never mind. What shirt would go best with the black jeans?"

Ian tried to ignore the relief he felt at the news that Anthony wasn't looking to hook up with anyone. He grabbed several shirts off the bed; a red silk button-up, a white dress shirt, and a blue-and-white checkered flannel.

"Any of these," he replied, holding them up. Anthony looked at them, nodding.

"Alright," he said. "I'm gonna try them on now."

"Sure," Ian said, and headed for the door. "Come out and show me when you decide."

"I will," Anthony said. Ian pulled the door shut behind him. He slumped against the wall of the hallway, sighing. His crush on Anthony was getting easier to manage – he felt like they were finally getting somewhere as friends – but _God_, he was still so attracted to him.

_Just get over it,_ he told himself, but it was easier said than done. He shook his head and stared at the closed door, waiting for Anthony to finish changing.

Finally, he stepped out of the bedroom.

"What do you think?" he asked, grinning slightly.

Ian was speechless. Anthony was wearing the white-button up shirt, untucked at the waist and unbuttoned halfway down his chest, the sleeves rolled up to his elbows. His black jeans were skin-tight, hugging every curve of his slender frame. He looked amazing.

"Um," Ian said. "Your collar's kind of sticking up."

"Damnit," Anthony said, reaching behind his neck and trying to fix it.

"Here," Ian offered, "let me help." He stepped forward to adjust the collar, smoothing it down in the back. Suddenly they were very close.

"Thanks," Anthony replied softly, and Ian looked up without thinking. Their faces were only inches apart.

"No problem," Ian whispered. His heart was suddenly pounding against his ribcage.

_I could do it,_ he thought wildly. _I could lean in right now, I could just –_

Anthony's cell phone rang, and they both jumped, backing away. Anthony shot Ian an awkward smile and answered the phone.

"Hey, Kyle."

Pause.

"Yeah, I know we have a show tomorrow night. We've kind of been practicing for it all week."

Pause.

"Sure, what did you have in mind?"

Pause.

"A fancy restaurant? Really? I'm pretty sure most bands hit the bar afterwards."

Pause.

"Fine, fine."

Pause.

"No problem. We'll see you then."

He hung up.

"What was that all about?" Ian asked, trying to sound casual.

"Kyle booked us dinner reservations at some fancy restaurant for after the show." He laughed. "Apparently we're a classy fucking band."

Ian raised his eyebrows. "He had to call at –" he checked his watch, "- nearly one a.m. to tell us that?"

"I guess he was excited," Anthony replied, shrugging. "Hey, are you tired?"

"Not really," Ian said. "Why?"

"Wanna go watch TV or something?"

"Yeah, alright," Ian said, smiling.

"I'll be right there," Anthony said. "I'm just gonna change into something less… you know."

Ian laughed and headed out to the living room, flopping onto the couch and flicking through the TV channels, trying to find something to watch. A wave of exhaustion had suddenly crashed over him; he could barely keep his eyes open. He put the remote down, settling for some old sitcom re-runs.

Anthony appeared in the doorway of the living room, wearing green plaid pajama pants and a black V-neck t-shirt. He looked adorable. Ian was too tired to try to ignore that thought. He just smiled at Anthony, propping himself up into a sitting position. Anthony sat down next to him.

"What are we watching?" he asked.

"Whatever this is," Ian replied, yawning as he gestured at the TV.

"Sounds good," Anthony replied, and there was a hint of a smirk on his lips. Ian noticed how close together they were; nearly half the couch was left empty on the other side of Anthony.

Ian tried to concentrate on the TV show, but his eyes kept trying to slip shut. He could feel Anthony next to him, warm and soft and inviting. As the last of his consciousness slipped away, his head found its way to Anthony's shoulder, and he let out a contented sigh. Then he was fast asleep.

-x-

Anthony jumped a little as he felt Ian's head touch his shoulder.

"You asleep?" he asked quietly. Ian didn't respond, which Anthony took as a yes. God, he looked so gorgeous when he slept. Anthony stroked his hair gently, trying not to wake him up.

_I should've kissed him earlier,_ he thought sadly. _Stupid phone call._ He knew he'd probably never get a chance like that again; it seemed to perfect, with Ian looking up at him, arms around his neck as he fixed his collar… it would have been so easy to lean in, to close that gap of a few inches, and if Ian had freaked out or backed away, he could've said it was an accident and there was a slight chance that it might've been believable. Damnit.

He sighed. Oh well. Maybe he'd never get his chance with Ian, but he could still enjoy this moment. He breathed in the scent of Ian's hair, smiling to himself as he snuggled closer. He rested his own head against Ian's, closed his eyes, and let himself begin to drift off.

_I've never felt like this before,_ some part of his tired brain thought. _Maybe this whole thing could actually work out..._

The thought was cut off as the blackness of sleep consumed him.


	8. Chapter 8

"That was fucking awesome!" Ian cried, grinning at the rest of the band as they excited the stage.

Anthony couldn't help smiling back. "Fuck yeah it was," he replied. "You were amazing, dude."

Ian blushed, but he looked happier than Anthony had ever seen him.

"Time to celebrate our first show with our new bassist!" Kyle announced. "We have reservations for 8:30, so everyone head home and change into something dressy. The restaurant's one block over from here. You can't miss it."

"I'll go get the car started," Ian said to Anthony. "Meet me outside whenever you're ready!" He hurried out of the tiny backstage area.

"So, how'd it go last night at Ian's?" Kyle asked Anthony when Ian was safely out of earshot.

Anthony smiled bitterly. "I think that if you hadn't called when you did, we might've kissed," he admitted.

Kyle groaned. "Oh God, dude, I'm so sorry!"

Aaron muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "I told you so."

"Oh well," Anthony said, shrugging. "There was some cuddling, anyway. I mean, he wasn't exactly awake, but it's a start."

Aaron smirked. "That's… kind of creepy."

Anthony stuck his tongue out childishly.

"Excuse me," said a voice from the other side of the room. Anthony turned around to see a guy standing there. He was tall and thin, with short blond hair and a nice smile. He was pretty cute overall; nowhere near as cute as Ian, though.

Anthony really wished his mind would stop adding that last part on every time he checked out another guy.

"Can we help you?" Kyle asked the guy politely.

"You're that band that just played, right?" the guy replied.

"That's us," Kyle said.

"I thought you guys were really great. Do you think I could buy you all a drink?"

"Sorry," Anthony replied. "We've got plans."

"Reservations at a restaurant over there," Kyle added, jerking his thumb in the general direction of the restaurant.

"Oh, okay," the guy said. He sounded disappointed. "What about your bassist? Is he busy?"

"He's coming with us," Anthony replied, wincing at the hint of possessiveness in his voice.

"Cool," the guy said, smiling. "Sorry to bother you, then." He headed out of the room, back into the club.

"I think we just got our first groupie," Aaron joked. "It's getting late, though. We should probably all run home and change soon."

"Right," Anthony replied. "See you guys in a bit!" He hurried out of the club to Ian's car.

"What took you so long?" Ian asked when Anthony slid into the passenger seat.

"We met our very first fan," Anthony replied, grinning.

"And I missed it? Damnit!" Ian pounded the steering wheel in mock-frustration.

"Come on, let's go," Anthony said. "I think Kyle's going to kill us if we're late."

"Okay, okay." Ian laughed. "Let's go find some fancy clothes."

-x-

They pulled up in front of the restaurant at 8:30 exactly. Anthony followed Ian out of the car, unable to take his eyes off him. Ian was wearing a pale blue dress shirt that brought out the blue in his eyes, tucked into a pair of black pants just tight enough to tease Anthony's mind with images of what he'd look like without them on.

They entered the restaurant, and Ian approached the waiter standing in the entryway.

"We have reservations for four," he said.

"Name?" the waiter asked.

"Uh… Kyle Johnson," Ian said.

The waiter frowned. "That reservation is for two people, not four."

"What?" Ian looked back at Anthony, who shrugged.

"I'll call Kyle," he suggested. Ian nodded.

Anthony pulled out his phone and quickly dialed Kyle's number. Kyle picked up right away.

"Hey, what's up?"

"We just got to the restaurant. They only have two seats reserved for us."

"Something must've got mixed up," Kyle said casually. "You two take the reservation, since you're already there."

Suddenly Anthony realized what was going on.

"You bastard," he said quietly, making sure Ian couldn't overhear. "You're trying to set me up with Ian, aren't you?"

"It was Aaron's idea!" Kyle said.

"Was not!" Aaron's voice protested in the background.

"I hate you guys," Anthony said, hanging up the phone, but he couldn't help smiling. Maybe tonight, with the romantic atmosphere of the restaurant and the residual excitement from the concert, would be enough to make Ian fall for him.

_Dream on,_ he told himself, but he couldn't shake the feeling of hope.

Ian had been talking to the waiter, who was now leading him into the restaurant. Anthony hurried to catch up.

"I guess it's just us," he said as he sat down across the table from Ian.

Ian smiled. "I guess so."

-x-

Time flew by. Before Anthony knew it, they'd been at the restaurant for nearly an hour. Anthony's food had tasted delicious, although he could barely remember what it was. He had hardly been able to pull his gaze away from Ian's gorgeous blue eyes.

They hadn't stopped talking the entire time. Anthony loved listening to Ian's voice, and he stored away every piece of information he'd learned from their conversation: details about Ian's childhood, his career, his dreams… He wanted to know everything there was to know about him.

Now a comfortable silence had fallen over them. Anthony sipped at his third glass of wine while Ian finished his second. He smiled at Anthony across the table, and God, his smile was so beautiful.

"What a great night," Ian said softly. "I haven't had such a good time in months."

"Me neither," Anthony replied. Underneath the table, he felt Ian's foot brush against his leg, and he wasn't entirely convinced that it was an accident. His breath caught in his throat.

"Ian…" he started to say.

Suddenly a man approached their table. Blond hair, nice smile… Anthony realized that it was the guy who had approached him and Kyle and Aaron in the club earlier.

"I hope I'm not interrupting anything," he said politely.

Anthony stared at him, confused. Ian, on the other hand, was gaping at him with shocked recognition.

"Hi, Ian," the man said.

Anthony looked curiously at Ian. "Who's this?" he asked.

Ian looked at Anthony vaguely, as if he wasn't seeing him at all.

"Oh," he said distractedly, and he shook his head, plastering on what looked like a very fake smile. "Umm, Anthony… this is David."


	9. Chapter 9

Anthony could hardly believe his ears. _David._ Emotions rushed through him so fast that he could barely keep track of them: disappointment, frustration, jealousy, concern, and finally anger. This was the guy who'd broken Ian's heart, the guy who'd hurt him so badly that he'd had to move to a new city; what right did he have to come up and say "hi" to him so casually? And the way he'd come up to the rest of the band earlier and pretended to be a fan… It was almost stalker-ish. What a fucking creep.

"Can I talk to you?" David asked Ian politely.

"We're busy," Anthony said shortly.

"Anthony, it's fine," Ian said softly. He opened his wallet and slid some money across the table. "This should be enough to pay for my food when the bill comes. I'll see you later."

"Ian, wait, when you left after the show he came up to me and Kyle and Aaron and -"

Ian wasn't even listening. "I'll talk to you later," he said, and followed David out of the restaurant.

Anthony stared frustratedly at the empty chair across from him. Things were going so fucking well before David showed up. Now Ian was gone with him and they were probably going back to Ian's apartment and…

Oh God, what if they had sex? Even worse, what if they got back together? What if Ian quit the band and went back to L.A. to play with his old band and Anthony was left brokenhearted by the first guy he ever really cared about? Fucking David. He was going to ruin everything.

Anthony kicked the table in frustration, sending his wine glass tumbling over to spill its contents all over the white table cloth. He didn't care. The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. He had been on a date with Ian, a fucking _date_. They were talking and smiling and drinking wine and Anthony didn't even _like_ wine but that wasn't the point because he'd been on a date with the man of his dreams and it had been going goddamn perfectly. Anthony's imagination had been racing ahead to the end of the night, when they'd go back to Ian's place and maybe, just maybe, Ian would realize that it was a date and he'd kiss Anthony at the door and invite him inside and maybe they'd end up in bed together or maybe they wouldn't, but Anthony didn't care either way because at least they would have been on a date together and that was a start.

And fucking David had just ruined that, hadn't he?

Anthony sighed and pulled out his cell phone, dialing Kyle's number. He'd need a place to stay tonight after all.

-x-

Ian was silent on the drive home. David sat in the passenger seat, smiling over at him every so often, and Ian shot back a nervous grin every time.

_What is he doing here?_ Ian wondered numbly. He couldn't wrap his head around it. He was just settling into his new life – playing with an amazing band, having dinner with a gorgeous guy who was rapidly becoming his best friend – and David showed up and turned it all upside down. But how could Ian refuse to talk to David? Only a little over a month ago, this guy had been his whole life, the guy he'd wanted to marry. He was searching inside himself, trying to find even the tiniest shred of the old affection he'd felt for him, but it was gone. He was beginning to wish he'd stayed at the restaurant.

After what seemed like an hour, Ian pulled into the parking garage of his building. They took the elevator in silence, and finally they reached Ian's floor. Ian unlocked his door with shaking hands, and David followed him inside.

"Tea?" Ian managed to ask softly. David smiled warmly.

"That'd be nice," he replied. Ian hurried into the kitchen and put the kettle on. When it finished boiling, he poured David's tea, adding the sugar and milk effortlessly, just the way David liked it. It was still like second nature to him. He brought the mug out to the living room, where David sat on the couch. Ian sat down next to him tentatively.

"So…" he said, handing him the mug of tea. "What are you doing here?"

David turned to face him. "I came to see you, Ian. I miss you. I… I want to take you back, I guess." He smiled sheepishly.

"I…" Ian didn't know what to say. Two weeks ago he would have given anything for this, but now… he felt curiously indifferent.

David stroked Ian's cheek with his thumb, the way that always used to send pleasant shivers down Ian's spine. Now Ian found himself pulling away from the touch.

"David," he said softly. "I… I appreciate you coming all this way to see me, but I don't think we can get back together."

Something in David's expression changed. His face took on an icy expression.

"What?" he asked quietly.

"I…"

"That guy you were with at the restaurant," David interrupted. "Was he your date?"

"No, he -"

"Good. I've never seen someone looking so uninterested."

The words stung a little. "Really?"

"Definitely," David said. "Now why don't we go down the hall to the bedroom and continue this conversation there." Something about the way he was talking make Ian uneasy.

"I don't want to, okay?" he said firmly. "I'm… I'm interested in someone else."

David smirked. "Let me guess, the guitarist? Like I said, he doesn't want you, Ian. No one wants you." He leaned in closer. "No one but me."

Ian was starting to feel sick to his stomach. "I think you should leave," he said softly.

David just stared at him. "If you turn me down, no one is ever going to want to touch you. You're nothing special, Ian. There are millions of better-looking guys in the world. Guys who are funnier and smarter and better in bed. You're going to be alone without me."

"Get out," Ian said, but it came out as a whisper.

"I saw you play tonight, by the way. You sounded terrible. You didn't have much stage presence, either. Good luck making any sort of career without me to help you. I give it two weeks before your new band kicks you out. You think they like you? They're just using you while they look for someone better."

Suddenly, Ian's temper exploded.

"GET OUT!" he shouted. David pulled back, shocked.

Ian stared at him, breathing heavily. "You heard me, David. Get the fuck out of my apartment, and don't you dare come back. And if you come near Anthony, or any of my bandmates, you're going to regret it."

David didn't move.

"I SAID GET OUT!" Ian shouted again. This time David listened, jumping off the couch and walking to the door. When he reached it, he turned back, giving Ian one last cold look.

"You're making a mistake."

Ian got up and slammed the door in his face. He watched through the peep-hole as David disappeared into the elevator, then collapsed onto the couch. He tried to fight back the tears, but within a few seconds they were running down his face.

_What a horrible end to such a good night,_ he thought, and that just made him cry harder.

-x-

Kyle pulled up in front of Ian's building. Anthony hopped out of the passenger seat.

"Thanks for the drive," he said. "I'll call someone else to pick me up if I need it."

"No problem," Kyle replied. "Make sure he's okay."

"I will," Anthony replied. He hurried into the building, grabbing the lobby door as it swung shut from the last person who had entered. He pressed the button in the elevator impatiently. As it traveled upwards, he glanced again at the text Ian had sent him: _plz come over anthony i cant be alone right now_.

He'd replied countless times, asking what was wrong, but there was no answer. He'd gotten there as soon as possible.

Ian's apartment door was unlocked. Anthony pushed it open.

Ian was sitting on the couch, his knees pulled up to his chest, tears streaming down his face.

"Ian!" Anthony said, concerned. He sat down next to Ian, wrapping his arms around him in an awkward hug. "What's wrong, man?"

Ian wiped at his eyes furiously. "David…" he said, his voice shaking. "He… he said all these things…"

As Ian listed off the hurtful things David had said, Anthony's blood boiled with anger. He grabbed Ian's shoulders, looking him straight in the eyes.

"Don't you dare listen to him, Ian. Don't you dare. None of that's true."

"What if it is?" Ian asked quietly. "What if I meet some guy and I fall for him and he really doesn't want anything to do with me? He's right, I'm not very attractive…"

"Shut up," Anthony said, pulling Ian into a tight hug. "You're one of the most attractive guys I know." But his heart sank. _If I meet a guy and fall for him,_ Ian had said. That meant that he hadn't already.

_Stop being self-centered,_ Anthony told himself. _Your friend is upset, so stop worrying about whether or not you can get into his pants._

But as Ian sobbed into his shoulder, he knew it was more than that. He pulled Ian closer, breathing in his scent.

_Ian,_ he thought helplessly, _I love you._


	10. Chapter 10

Anthony opened his eyes sleepily. Bright sunlight was streaming into the living room. He smiled a little as he realized that he'd fallen asleep on the couch with Ian again. They'd shifted their position overnight, somehow; Anthony was sprawled across the entire length of the couch, with Ian lying half on top of him, their legs tangled together. Anthony wasn't sure how they'd ended up like that; he couldn't remember moving at all during the night. It felt nice, though.

He tousled Ian's hair gently. Ian opened his eyes.

"Hmm?" he said softly.

"Good morning," Anthony said, smiling. Ian smiled back sleepily.

"Hey," he replied. He didn't move from his position half on top of Anthony.

"How'd you sleep?" Anthony asked.

"Good," Ian said. He laughed quietly. "You're comfy."

Anthony wrapped an arm around Ian's waist, hugging him slightly. He hoped that Ian couldn't feel how fast his heart was beating. Whatever they were doing right now was definitely pushing the boundaries of friendship; there was some kind of strange intimacy to it.

_Shut up,_ he told himself. _You're lying fully clothed on a couch, not waking up naked in his bed. _And yet he couldn't shake the feeling that something had changed between them last night, that their date had pushed them out of the friend zone and into new and unexplored territory. He wondered where they'd be right now if David hadn't shown up.

"Hey, Anthony?" Ian murmured. Anthony turned his head to look him in the eyes. The tips of their noses brushed, and Anthony's breath caught in his throat.

"Yeah?" he managed to choke out.

"I…" Ian's voice was cut off as his cell phone rang. "Better get that," he said, his smile disappearing. He untangled himself from Anthony and heaved himself off the couch. He left the living room as he answered the phone, and Anthony heard his bedroom door close.

He let out a frustrated sigh. They'd been so close that time. _So goddamn close._

-x-

"Hello?"

"Ian, it's Jason."

Ian was surprised to be hearing from his old bandmate. "Hey, man, what's up?"

"I have to warn you. I just found out this morning that David's gone to Sacramento. I think he's looking for you."

"He found me," Ian said quietly. "He came here last night. I was on… well, I think I was on a date. He showed up and asked me to talk to him. I was so surprised, I just left with him. He…" Ian shook his head. "He was such a dick! What the hell happened to him?"

"Shit, I'm sorry," Jason said, sighing. "I should've called you sooner, but I thought it was best to leave David out of your life. I didn't know that he'd go find you."

"What happened?" Ian asked again. "I've never seen him act like that before."

"I'm not really sure," Jason replied. "You leaving the band… I guess he took it kind of hard. He started skipping practice, started showing up drunk to our shows... He was being a real asshole to me and Chris, too. We kicked him out of the band two weeks ago. He flipped out, tried to punch me… He's fucked up without you, dude."

"Jesus," Ian said softly.

"Yeah," Jason agreed. "Just do me a favour and stay as far away from him as possible. He probably wants to wreck your life now or something."

"I will," Ian promised.

"Good." Jason paused. "So tell me about this date you were on…"

Ian felt a grin appear on his face. "His name's Anthony. He plays lead guitar in my band, and God, he's _so cute_."

"I want the details!" Jason urged. Ian sat down on the bed, smiling.

"It started the night after our first practice, when he slept over at my house…"

And as he told the story, pieces started to fit together in his mind, building to a conclusion. The realization hit him so hard that he barely realized when the words slipped out of his mouth:

"Holy shit, Jason, I'm in love with him."


	11. Chapter 11

The rest of the week seemed to fly by. Ian was caught in a whirlwind of excitement; there hardly seemed to be enough hours in the day for the nightly shows, the long practice sessions, and what he had come to think of as his "Anthony time".

Ian's realization that he loved Anthony hadn't made things harder; in fact, it was much easier now. He'd finally come to accept that his feelings for Anthony were more than just a crush, and he didn't try to fight them anymore. After every show he and Anthony would return to his apartment, happy and excited and pleasantly exhausted, and fall asleep on the couch, watching TV or just talking. Nothing had happened between them yet, but Ian didn't mind; he just liked falling asleep in Anthony's arms and waking up next to him every morning. They flirted a lot, at home and at practice and even in public; Ian was almost completely sure that Anthony was interested in him. The idea made him smile every time he thought of it.

"What're you smiling at?" Anthony asked, pulling Ian out of his thoughts. They were in the car, on the way to the club for their last show of the week. Ian grinned over at him.

"Just thinking about how great this past week as been," he replied.

"It has been pretty fucking sweet," Anthony replied, grinning back. "And it might get even better tonight."

Ian looked over at him curiously. "What do you mean?"

"Oh you know…" Anthony shrugged. "Last show, all that energy and excitement and music… Anything could happen." He tried to keep his tone innocent, but there was a hint of a smirk on his face.

Ian bit his lip, trying to conceal his own smile. "I guess you're right."

-x-

Anthony's hands were shaking as the band launched into the fourth song in their set. He focused all his energy into playing, trying not to think about what he was going to do in three minutes' time. Better not to think at all, or else he'd start asking himself whether this was _really_ a good idea and he'd back out of it.

He lost himself in the music, letting the adrenaline flow through him. He began to relax, excitement overtaking fear. He could do this.

As the song neared its end, Anthony made his way over to Ian's side of the stage in what he hoped was a casual way. Ian tilted his head as if to ask, _What are you doing?_ but Anthony just grinned. Ian laughed, fingers moving frantically over his bass. Anthony closed the three-foot gap between them as he played the final notes of the song. _This is it,_ he thought as the crowd cheered. Heart pounding, he grabbed Ian around the waist.

"What are you –" Ian's words were cut off as Anthony pulled him close and kissed him.

It felt like an eternity, standing there onstage in front of nearly a hundred people, waiting for Ian's reaction. Just as he was beginning to think that this was a very bad idea, he felt Ian's lips move tentatively against his own.

And then they were kissing, kissing like they'd been holding this in for years instead of weeks. The feeling of their lips moving together was intoxicating, dizzying, and completely wonderful. Anthony felt like his heart might explode.

"FINALLY!" he heard Kyle shout into the microphone, addressing the audience. "Seriously, you guys have no idea how long we've been waiting for them to do this." The crowd laughed appreciatively. Anthony flipped his middle finger up in Kyle's direction without breaking the kiss. Some of the audience members were yelling out insults, but Anthony didn't care; he was lost in the feeling of Ian's lips and Ian's tongue and Ian's fingers resting just under the hem of his shirt. It felt like heaven.

When they finally pulled away, after what felt like hours but was probably only fifteen or twenty seconds, Ian was blushing, a huge smile spreading over his face. Anthony laughed giddily.

"Can we finish the show now, or do you two need to get a room?" Kyle teased.

"Fuck off," Ian said, but his grin remained firmly in place.

Anthony returned to his side of the stage as they began the next song, but for the remainder of the concert his eyes never left Ian's.

For the first time in his life, he couldn't wait for the show to end.


	12. Chapter 12

Packing up after the show seemed to take forever. Ian couldn't stay away from Anthony; he kept finding excuses to touch him, whether it was "accidentally" bumping into him or "helping" him pack something away. Anthony was no better, darting in for quick kisses every time he thought Kyle and Aaron weren't looking.

After one particularly long kiss, Kyle had rolled his eyes, grinning.

"Get out of here, you two," he'd urged, his voice affectionate. "You're like a couple of sixteen-year-olds waiting to lose their virginities."

Ian didn't need to be told twice. He practically dragged Anthony to his car and sped away towards his apartment building. As he drove, he felt Anthony's hand creep up his leg, starting at mid-thigh and slowly moving upwards. He breathed in sharply as it brushed lightly against his crotch.

"Oh God, Anthony, don't," he breathed. Anthony ignored him, rubbing circles with his palm, and Ian could feel himself hardening. He bit back a groan, hands shaking as he gripped the steering wheel tighter, trying to concentrate on the road. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Anthony smirk.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, Ian pulled into the parking garage of his building. Anthony was still stroking him through his jeans, and Ian let out a low moan as he turned the car off.

"Come on," he murmured. "Upstairs."

Anthony nodded in agreement. They got out of the car nearly ran to the elevator. Ian realized that they were holding hands, and he felt a giddy smile spreading over his face.

The elevator ride seemed to last forever. When they finally reached Ian's floor, Ian pulled Anthony down the hall to his apartment, fumbling with the key. As soon as they were inside, Anthony closed the door and shoved Ian up against it, kissing him hungrily. Ian moaned softly, grabbing Anthony's belt loops and pulling him closer. He slid one hand down to the bulge in Anthony's jeans, stroking softly. Anthony thrust against his hand and let out a soft whimper.

"Can I blow you?" he asked, his eyes dark with want.

"Fuck yes," Ian replied. He watched with growing arousal as Anthony sank to his knees in front of him. Anthony unbuttoned and unzipped Ian's jeans with steady hands and pulled them down around his knees. He wrapped his fingers around Ian's dick through the thin fabric of his boxers and began tugging gently.

"Oh God, Anthony," Ian moaned. Anthony smirked up at him, then pulled down his boxers down all the way. He grasped Ian's dick again and licked up the shaft.

"Fuck," Ian said softly. Anthony looked up at him, their eyes locking as he slid his mouth over the head. Ian bit his lip, stifling a whimper. It felt good, so fucking good. Anthony was amazing, his lips and his tongue and his throat working expertly, sending wave after wave of pleasure crashing over Ian's body. All too soon, he felt a familiar tension building in his balls.

"Anthony… stop…" he moaned. "I'm gonna…"

Anthony pulled away just in time, standing up to kiss him. "Sorry," he murmured. "Got a little carried away."

"Don't apologize," Ian said, kissing gently along his jawline. "But how about we take this to the bedroom?"

"Oh God, yes," Anthony breathed. "I can't believe this is finally happening."

"Finally," Ian agreed, and he practically dragged Anthony down the hall. _Fucking finally._

-x-

"Jesus," Anthony said softly, smiling over at Ian. "I think that was the best sex I've ever had."

Ian grinned back. "Same." He scooted a little closer under the covers, kissing Anthony softly. "I hope we weren't too loud, though. If I get kicked out of the building for noise complaints, where are we gonna live?"

Anthony stared at him, still smiling a little. "We?"

Ian realized what he'd said. "Shit," he said, blushing. "I just meant… you stay here a lot and… well, you know… maybe we could… you know…"

Anthony laughed. "Got something to ask me?"

Ian bit his lip. "Anthony… do you wanna move in with me?"

Anthony pulled him close, kissing him deeply. "I'd love to," he said.

Ian grinned, relieved. "God, when I joined the band I was just looking for a job. How the fuck did I end up with a gorgeous boyfriend?"

Anthony laughed. "Life's weird like that sometimes."

"I think it's perfect," Ian replied. He laid his head on Anthony's chest, closing his eyes. Just as he began to drift off, his cell phone startled him with a loud ring. He groped for it on the bedside table, squinting at the call display.

_Kyle._

"Ignore it," Anthony said, laughing, and Ian did.

This moment belonged to just the two of them.


End file.
